The Fan
by Uta Burke
Summary: A woman who calls whales? No wonder the other Walker Stalker cruise passengers nickname her The Witch. When an obsessed fan who goes through life pretending to be married to Norman Reedus tricks him into her cabin, Norman encounters a nightmare that will haunt him for the rest of his life. So why does he drop all charges when he has a chance for justice?


"The Fan"

Boarding concluded, the luxury vessel left the safety of the harbor and set out to sea; the Walker Stalker Cruise was on its way with over two thousand excited guests. After the mandatory safety briefing in the auditorium, the passengers dispersed to their cabins to unpack.

A murmur rippled through the cast of the Walking Dead.

"Did you see her?" Andy asked. "'Crazy Ria' is on board. Hold on to your bollocks, mates."

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Norman said. "Who's crazy Ria? Am I expected to know her?"

"You would remember her. She's a nutter. Unpredictable but harmless." He winked at the others. "Should be an interesting trip."

On the same floor as the cast, just a few cabins away, Maria folded and put away her last piece of clothing. She rifled through her bags for a third time but came up empty handed which meant she forgot to pack her medication. Not that it worried her. She would be fine without it for a few days, especially since she was in such close proximity with her most favorite person in the world. He could not escape. After months of waiting, she had her plan down to the smallest detail; staying on the same floor with him was the important part. All she wanted was to be close to him, breathe the same air he breathed, and walk on the same ground he walked, with him knowing that she existed. And most of all, to have Norman to herself.

Maria spent the afternoon on deck near the pool area where many of the guests hung out, some already drinking and partying. The weather was cool, but that didn't stop anyone from having fun. Sometimes she thought she saw a glimpse of him and held her breath, but nobody seemed to notice so it couldn't have been him. He would have caused a stir.

Not until much later, when it was already dark, did several members of the cast make an appearance. As could be expected, a mob formed in seconds, but eventually the fans settled down and the actors were able to mingle for a bit before the start of the evening program. Maria looked forward to the autograph and photo op with Norman and hoped he would let her hug him for the picture, even agree to let her stick her hand under his shirt, but worried she might pass out being that close to him. She would take a deep breath and control herself when the time came.

She showered and dressed carefully for the night. Of course she brought him a present, a vinyl cast of him with real hair. She made it in a sculpting class and it looked so lifelike she was worried people would freak out. Maria hid the bust in a bag and would not pull it out until she stood in front of him.

She fluffed her hair one last time while checking herself in the mirror. For a middle-aged woman, she thought, she still had a lot to offer. Later, as they waited in the autograph crowd, Maria compared the broads in line to gauge their chances of landing HER man. She even rated them on a scale from 0 to 10, giving herself the perfect score and being a lot less favorable with everybody else. Nobody was good enough for Norman except her. Maria's eyes narrowed every time someone spent too much time with him, and she tensed, urging them on silently with balled fists and grinding teeth. Nobody could have him, he was hers alone during this trip.

Norman's eyes lit up when she stood in front of him, just as she expected it. She knew he would recognize her as his one and only soul mate and now she felt completely calm. After the introduction, she handed him the bag. He pulled out the bust over which she labored for months and which looked exactly like him. She's hit the bullseye with her present. He laughed, exclaiming his joy and surprise, taking a selfie with it, and giving her a hug, then another, barely letting her leave. They talked for a good two minutes before his manager hurried her along. She saw him again during the photo op and yes, he allowed her to place her hand on his stomach underneath his shirt. With satisfaction, Maria noticed a pouch. His midriff was not flat and chiseled and perfect, which made her happy. She had never felt attracted to perfect bodies, considering them fake. Her guy was real, and he had a real body with the same problem areas as most of the common horde. The picture taking was a lot shorter than the autograph, but Maria knew it wasn't the last time their paths would cross. No, not in a long run. This was just the beginning.

"I've met that lady you mentioned. At least I think it was her. She gave me something really cool, look." Norman held out the bust to Andy who was so surprised, he took a step back. "Isn't this awesome?"

"Holy shit, that is freaky. Watch out bro, she's a nutcase."

"Na, she's just got this intense look on her. It goes right through you. She's harmless."

"Norman, listen to me. Do not underestimate her. There's just something about that woman. I can't put my finger on it, but be careful, okay?"

Norman chuckled but nodded. "Okay, okay, I promise. Don't worry about me."

After the evening's program, people clustered on deck to party. Maria, staying on the perimeter of the group but observing from a deck chair nearby, listened in on an odd conversation.

"I want to see some whales, dammit, or at least some fuckin' dolphins. That should be part of the program, right? We're on a damn ocean, aren't we?" one of the drunks yelled.

"Yeah, man, why don't you call them?" someone said.

Laughter and applause. "Yeah, call 'em! Maybe Neptune will show up."

The drunk scrambled up and approached the railing, shouting, "Here, fishy, fishy, fishy!"

That got the crowd going.

Maria frowned. She wanted to show these idiots how it was done. Calling whales had to be done right. Before she could stop herself, she said loudly, "That's not how to do it. You have to call them, but not like that."

"Hey look, the witch knows a secret. Why don't you show us?" the drunk yelled.

All eyes were on Maria now, openly making fun of her. "Yeah, show us how it's done!" the crowd demanded.

Maria got up, stepped to the railing, and took a deep breath before she began to chant. "He-e-oh, ho- he, he he ho, ho ho he." She sing-songed for a full minute.

It sounded eerie and mysterious in the moonlight, drawing everyone into its spell. Nobody spoke until a kid shouted, "I see a spout!" The entire assembly rushed to the railing. In the light of a full moon, their eyes adjusted quickly to the darkness. Several ocean giants glistened on the obsidian surface, spraying fountains up through their blow holes. People recoiled at Maria's ability, some taking several steps away from her. With her blazing red hair and piercing eyes, she not only looked like a witch but acted like one, too.

"How the fuck did you do that?" the drunk asked. "This has to be magick!"

From then on, Maria was known as The Witch Who Calls Whales.

A few decks above, Norman heard the singing and looked out over the horizon. He saw the whales appear and knew there were people like that, who could call cows and other animals, but he had never witnessed it nor met someone with that ability. It was freaky. No wonder Andy called her crazy.

Soon things settled on deck and people went back to having fun. Norman was torn. He desperately needed to rest but worried the partying would be going on without him. "Cookie?"

"Yeah, what'cha need, Norm?"

Shit. His body guard was still parading the hallway, making sure his famous charge was safely inside. Norman sighed, then took off his clothes and reluctantly got ready for bed. He better not find out in the morning that he missed out on something important, like a good pole show or poker game that went on without him.

The next day he kept looking for "Crazy Ria." He wanted to ask her about that chant with which she called the whales, but she was nowhere to be seen. Instead, his friends told him about the blast they had at the bar where the party lasted until the wee hours of the morning. Norman was pissed and vowed he would party through tonight, no matter what.

Maria felt desperate. All day she hid in her cabin and had lunch and dinner brought to her room. Ever since last night's whale-calling episode, people looked at her funny and whispered behind her back. She needed to avoid Norman at all costs or her plan was ruined. He would never accept an invitation into her room if he knew people thought she was weird. Maria knew she needed to lay low and draw all attention away from her until she was ready to strike.

The hallway was empty. The noises of foot traffic and partying had subsided and Maria stuck her head out of the cabin. Several doors down, Norman did the same. When he saw her, he hesitated, then his eyes lit up and he waved to her. "Hi. Ria, right?"

Maria instinctively jerked back inside and took a deep breath before again stepping into the hallway. Norman was in the process of locking the door and jiggled to make sure it was secure. Then he turned in her direction.

Maria stood in the doorway with a wildly pounding heart. She wasn't prepared to run into him the moment she opened the door, but there he was and she had to adjust her plan. She fluffed her hair and waited until he was just a few steps away, looking at him expectantly.

He gave her a mischievous grin. "I was looking for you today."

Her heart nearly burst through her chest. This was a scene right out of her dreams! _Was_ she dreaming it? "You were? Sorry to have missed you, I wasn't feeling great. Late night last night, you know."

He nodded. "Yeah, I heard. I'll make sure I don't miss out tonight.. But, I wanted to ask you about that chant you did out there, the whale calling thing. How does that work?"

Maria turned red. Damn. That stupid chant again. How did he even know about it? They actually called her a witch now. What if he made fun of her? She needed to think fast. "Why don't you come inside and I tell you all about it?"

Norman shook his head, a shadow crossing his face. "No, I'd better not. It wouldn't be right, you know." Seeing her disappointment he said, "Why don't you tell me over a drink at the bar, though?"

Maria's thoughts raced. She could slip him the "supplement" she prepared at the bar, or lure him inside where she had everything set up to go. Suddenly she had an idea. "Let me just get my jacket. Wait here." She retreated to her room and reached for a sweater on the top shelf, then pretended to slip and hurt herself. "Oww, oww, oww, I've fallen. I need help!"

Norman busted through the door and rushed to her side. "Are you okay, sweetie?" He gently reached down and lifted her into a sitting position. "Where does it hurt?"

She rubbed her ankle and moaned. "I think I twisted my ankle. It hurts real bad."

He helped her to a chair. "Do you want me to call a doctor?"

"No, it'll be okay, I think. Just let me sit a minute. Maybe you can get me a glass of wine, I have a bottle right over there." She pointed to the little table in a corner, then watched him pour a glass for her and one for him. Exactly as she had hoped.

Norman sat across from her and they clinked glasses. Also as expected, he said they might as well talk about the magic calling of the whales which was of genuine interest to him. The door to her cabin stood wide open and made him feel safe and relaxed.

"Before I begin, could you be so nice and get me a wet towel from the bathroom, so I can wrap my ankle?"

He obediently put down his glass and got up, eager to comply. As soon as he was out of sight, Maria reached into her purse and pulled out the potion she had prepared, for the purpose of making him mindlessly willing. She emptied the clear liquid into his glass and swirled it before setting it back in its place, then hobbled to her chair and waited, trembling with nerves and anticipation. If this didn't work, she would have to implement Plan B, probably by hitting him over the head with the bottle. Either way, now that she had Norman in her room, he was hers for the night…

They clinked glasses again.

She noticed with satisfaction that he emptied his glass almost at once. It would do the trick, and hopefully soon, before he decided to be a gentleman and leave. She fabricated a story of how she learned to call whales, making it up as she went along. Norman listened fascinated. Maria had no idea why it had worked last night, it just did. Pure coincidence, but nothing surprised her anymore. Life had often proven to comply when you put your mind to it.

She watched Norman closely. He began to sound slurry, rubbing his eyes over and over, but he seemed to have a hard time focusing on her.

"Are you all right, Norman?" she asked sweetly.

He shook his head like a wet dog. "You sound cottony. Something's wrong with my ears. My eyes." He stretched out a hand toward her. "You're so… blurry…" He tried to get up but couldn't, and watched helplessly how she approached and reached for something behind him. A rope. She was tying him to the chair, but there was nothing he could do about it. He wanted to shift in his seat, but his body didn't respond to his commands. Everything felt numb. He heard the door close and lock behind him and Ria standing in front of him, clutching a small knife, smiling. He realized he felt scared, but the feeling was so disconnected from his body, it felt like he was looking at himself from across the room, watching how she wrapped him up tighter, taking off his shoes and socks, unbuttoning his jeans. He moaned and threw back his head.

Maria sat on his lap and cuddled into him. "Don't be scared, my darling Norman. I promise not to hurt you. That is, if you play along nicely and make your little wife happy…"

Wife? He could feel himself thinking, but it didn't go further than that. His thoughts stopped and started spinning in his head. What was that about a wife? What was a wife? He laughed hysterically, repeating the word that made no sense to him. He was surprised he didn't know what it meant, but was sure he'd heard it before. It sounded familiar, the word, it just didn't ring a bell. He would have to look it up later.

The woman on his lap began licking his throat. It tickled, but that sensation didn't make sense, either. Maybe he was just tired. He would have to ask his friend about it, what was his name? Norman felt puzzled. He couldn't remember his friend's name, didn't even come close. As a matter of fact, what were anyones' names? Word fragments swirled in his mind, but before they came together and made sense, they drifted apart and left him clueless. He couldn't even think a thought to the end.

He felt pressure. That la…, that pers… it sat on him as far as he knew. He looked at his chest, which felt oddly cold. What happened to his shirt?

Norman floated in and out of consciousness. At times he was aware of laying tied up on a bed and feeling discomfort before drifting off again. Pain seared through a dark tunnel at which end there seemed to be relief, but before he could reach it, the point of relief somehow got moved and he had to start all over. Someone screamed, begged, cried, but he wasn't aware that it came from him.

Maria stuffed a gag into his mouth and blindfolded him with a bandana. Then she went to work on him, using rubber bands and ice cubes to prolong his erection. She knew she was giving him pain, but at this point she couldn't let it interfere with her mission. He was hers for this night only, and she had to drag out the sensation, the prolonging of his erection so he could pleasure her for as long as she wanted. It would have to last for the rest of her life, whether she concluded it in jail or back at her apartment in the city, depending on him pressing charges or not, because she knew, after this night of having her way with him, there would be hell to pay. But wasn't love known to be crazy, yeah, even famous for it, and people in its spell were not in possession of their right minds? And her life, wasn't that living hell already, so what did it matter to add another layer to it, especially one she received pleasure from, however briefly?

Norman writhed under her, thinking he was building up to an orgasm, and groaned with relief, but he was wrong. Maria reached behind her while straddling him and grasped the base of his balls, forming a tight ring around them with her thumb and forefinger until he bucked with agonizing, desperate pleasure and an urgent need for release. She knew she had to be careful and watched closely so he wouldn't pass out on her and lose the rock-hardness she had so skillfully achieved...

When she felt the sensation ebb away, she lifted herself off of him. He had not been able to finish by the time she came. And there was no relief for his aching loins. Norman wanted to beg for mercy but the gag made it sound like a grunt and besides, she didn't seem to care. For every three climaxes for her, she let him cum once. But, whatever she did, those were the strongest, most mind-blowing orgasms he had ever experienced. Norman didn't know whether to cry from discomfort or gratitude. This night would end eventually, and his friends would miss him even before breakfast. Andy was smart and he would put two and two together. Crazy Ria on board and Norman missing, it was a no brainer. All they had to do was ask for the cabin she stayed in.

Maria could last all night, but she had to think of her beloved Norman as well, trapped underneath, so he wouldn't lose his strength too soon. Hadn't she waited for this night for years? It was bad enough she had to share him with all the women who clamored for him. What was one night in which she used him for herself?

And she could tell he was enjoying it, too.

When she got bored with the position, she untied his hands and lifted him forward, until his face pressed into her ample breasts. He couldn't see because he was blindfolded and couldn't talk because of the gag, but now he couldn't breathe because of her flesh, so she re-tied his hands behind his back before loosening the bonds on his legs and heaved him off the bed and onto the chair again. Norman already learned that resistance was futile and, like a rag doll, hung limply in her arms until she tethered his torso to the back of the chair.

What she did next must have come straight out of a horror movie. At first he felt a sharp pain on his chest, followed by a burning sensation, then a scratchy noise. He tried to scream, but it was for naught. At this point he gave up, gave in, gave his body over to her, to do as she pleased. From a cottony distance he heard her mumble the letters, as Maria carved her name, then a heart, over his "Norman" tattoo. Blood trickled down his chest, belly and into his pubes, creating a sticky mess, but there was nothing she could do about it while working on her project. A bath and bandage would take care of it all later.

If she wanted to stab him in the chest or cut his balls off next, Norman didn't care, couldn't. He felt numb with exhaustion, shock, and pain. Barely conscious, with his head hanging to his chest and blood spilling from his wounds, he slumped over in the chair like a martyr left for the ravens. All that was missing was a crown of thorns pressed into his scalp.

And this is how his friends found him the next morning, after a frantic search on deck before Andy remembered to check Crazy Ria's room. They untied their friend, ripped out the gag and removed the blindfold, before gently lowering him to the floor. Greg covered Norman's privates while Andy cradled his head in his lap, washing his face with a cool, wet cloth. Rooker ran for a doctor, Cookie yelled for the police.

Maria had somehow escaped. The cruise ship had docked in the harbor of the destination island that night and someone saw her being rowed ashore in one of the boats. She vanished without a trace until several weeks later, when Norman received a picture of his mutilated body in the mail with a note that made him gasp in horror.

Maria was back in New York and she demanded to meet him. If he refused, she would send pictures of that horrible night all over the internet. Norman, who already seriously considered quitting his acting career and moving to the solitude of the woods, wanted to ignore the blackmail, but his doctor advised him to comply, so he could come to terms with the nightmare that almost pushed him over the edge. Of course, it would be a setup, and police would be present and arrest her. This way, Norman could finally get closure.

On the day of the meeting, several police officers were strategically positioned around Maria's apartment.

Norman nodded and took a deep breath, then waited for the go-ahead.

With shaky fingers, he pushed the door bell and nearly bolted when he heard the door being unlocked. The doorknob turned slowly. In less than a second he would be face to face with the person who tortured him and poisoned his sleep with nightmares ever since. Norman was far from ready for the encounter, and with balled fists, he bit his lips to keep his nerves in check, but he couldn't stop trembling. He glanced helplessly at the cop closest to him. He gave him an encouraging nod and thumbs up when he saw how hard this was for Norman. Then the door opened.

He hardly recognized her. The woman's once piercing eyes now had a dull stare. Her hair looked even crazier than the last time he saw her, and her clothes hung disheveled on her once large frame. Then he noticed her hands. Puss oozed from infected cuts, but what really freaked him out were the walls and décor in the room behind her. Before he even stepped inside, several police officers rushed forward and tackled Crazy Ria to the floor. Norman stood speechless in the living room. The walls were plastered with pictures of him, the shelves stuffed with figures of Daryl Dixon and other Walking Dead characters. It wasn't just an obsession, the place was a fucking shrine. But the thing that shocked him most was a figure sitting at the kitchen table that totally resembled him! He moved toward it in slow motion to take a closer look. Then he saw it. The same plastic head and torso Crazy Ria brought to the cruise and gave him as a fan present, but this one was set atop a life-size, stuffed doll wearing street clothes, the way people fashion Halloween porch decorations. The hair, clothes, everything looked just like him. Weak with horror, Norman continued to the next room, the bedroom, and sure enough, a Norman Reedus look-alike doll lay on one side of the bed. He stumbled past the bathroom, stopped, took a step back and stared at the shower. There was another figure peering out behind the curtain. Norman recoiled. He did not care to find out if the figure was naked. But it was the next room that really took his breath away. A nursery, complete with crib, toys, rocking chair and books on a shelf. A lullaby played quietly on top of the changing table. There was a baby lying in the crib, and in the rocking chair sat an adult-sized doll resembling a mother rocking her newborn, all real looking but definitely fake, made of the same material as the busts of him. That's why, when Norman stumbled backward and bumped into someone, he nearly jumped out of his skin.

"What the fuck!?" he yelled. "What the hell is going on here?" He turned around and stared at the elderly lady behind him in horror.

She looked kind, but extremely sad.

"Who are you? Are you at least real?" he whispered.

The lady nodded and stretched out a hand. "Mr. Reedus? I am the next door neighbor, Louise. I heard the commotion and came right over. I am a friend of Misses… Maria's. She is not well."

"Not well? Are you kidding me? That lady is completely nuts! Can you please tell me what's going on here? And how you know my name?" He gestured frantically at the scene around him.

"I know what it looks like, Mr. Reedus, and of course I know your name. That's all she talks about. I understand you're upset, but please don't be afraid. I will explain and hope you will be able to forgive her one day."

At a loss for words, Norman could only stare at her.

"Why don't we sit down over there, hm?" Louise gently took him by the arm and steered him toward the living room. Norman let her guide him obediently, too freaked out to form a coherent argument. What he should do, he thought, was to get the hell out of here and let the police do their job. But something compelled him to follow the stranger to a couch that wasn't occupied, neither by fake nor real people.

The neighbor began explaining without further ado. "A few years ago, Maria was happily married and about to become a grandmother as their only daughter was pregnant with her first child. It was an exciting, happy time for the whole family. They were on the way home from the baby shower, the daughter in one car loaded with presents, and her mother in the car behind her with more presents, when the daughter swerved out of the way of a deer. She hit a tree. The car caught fire before Maria could pull her out because the hood was pushed in and the engine trapped her legs. She burned alive in front of her mother. A few weeks later, Maria's husband committed suicide because he couldn't cope with the loss of his daughter and grandchild. Only Maria's determination to plow on and suffer for her inability to save her family kept her going. But along the way she created a desperate fantasy world in which she was Mrs. Norman Reedus. Her obsession with you, Mr. Reedus, kept her alive and was her only way to get through the day and keep the demons at bay. I think it's important that you know this, and maybe it makes her behavior, if not acceptable, but understandable. Maria has left the real world a long time ago."

Norman slowly slid to the floor and buried his face in his hands, shaking with sobs. A police officer bent over him and asked if he wanted to say something to his abuser before they took her away. Norman shook his head.

He watched as Crazy Ria was led away with her hands cuffed behind her back, turning around to give him a last, sorrowful and apologetic look.

"Be careful with her, don't hurt her!" Norman shouted after them. He summoned a couple officers and insisted to drop all charges, then walked out of the apartment into the night.

Three months later, Bellevue Psychiatric Hospital, where Maria would spend the rest of her life:

The nurse tapped her gently on the shoulder and lovingly covered her legs with a blanket before wheeling her into the yard where Norman waited. She bent down and whispered into Crazy Ria's ear: "Mrs. Reedus, your husband is here for his visit…"


End file.
